Courses for Fall 2025
MELC courses offered prior to Fall 2024 were listed under NELC.
| Title | Instructors | Location | Time | Description | Cross listings | Fulfills | Registration notes | Syllabus | Syllabus URL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMEL 4000-401 | First Year Akkadian I | Joshua A. Jeffers | MW 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | Introduction to the grammar of the Akkadian language with emphasis on developing skills in the cuneiform writing system and reading of selected texts. | AMEL6000401 | ||||||
| AMEL 4300-401 | Akkadian Historical Texts | Joshua A. Jeffers | R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | Readings in Akkadian historical texts from ancient Mesopotamia | AMEL6300401 | ||||||
| AMEL 6000-401 | First Year Akkadian I | Joshua A. Jeffers | MW 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | Introduction to the grammar of the Akkadian language with emphasis on developing skills in the cuneiform writing system and reading of selected texts. | AMEL4000401 | ||||||
| AMEL 6300-401 | Akkadian Historical Texts | Joshua A. Jeffers | R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | Readings in Akkadian historical texts from ancient Mesopotamia | AMEL4300401 | ||||||
| AMEL 6400-001 | Intermediate Sumerian | Stephen J. Tinney | Reading literary texts in the Sumerian Language from ancient Mesopotamia. | ||||||||
| ARAB 0100-401 | Elementary Arabic I | Radwa El Barouni | MW 10:15 AM-11:14 AM TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM |
This is the beginners course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It will introduce you to the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab World. The course is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that by the end of this course, students will range in proficiency from Novice High to Intermediate Low on the ACTFL scale; in other words (using the terminology of the government's Foreign Service Institute), from 'incipient survival' to 'full' survival' in the native-speaking environment. | ARAB6100401 | ||||||
| ARAB 0100-402 | Elementary Arabic I | Amel Mili | MW 12:00 PM-12:59 PM TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM |
This is the beginners course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It will introduce you to the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab World. The course is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that by the end of this course, students will range in proficiency from Novice High to Intermediate Low on the ACTFL scale; in other words (using the terminology of the government's Foreign Service Institute), from 'incipient survival' to 'full' survival' in the native-speaking environment. | ARAB6100402 | ||||||
| ARAB 0200-401 | Elementary Arabic II | Abdulrahman Atta | MW 3:30 PM-4:29 PM TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM |
This course is a continuation of first semester Elementary Arabic, and builds on the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab World. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that by the end of this course, students will range in proficiency from Novice High to Intermediate Low on the ACTFL scale. | ARAB6200401 | ||||||
| ARAB 0300-401 | Intermediate Arabic III | Abdulrahman Atta | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM MW 10:15 AM-11:14 AM |
This is the continuation of the Elementary course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that students range from Intermediate Low to Intermediate High according to the ACTFL scale. | ARAB6300401 | ||||||
| ARAB 0300-402 | Intermediate Arabic III | Abdulrahman Atta | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM MW 12:00 PM-12:59 PM |
This is the continuation of the Elementary course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that students range from Intermediate Low to Intermediate High according to the ACTFL scale. | ARAB6300402 | ||||||
| ARAB 0500-401 | Advanced Intermediate Arabic I | Radwa El Barouni | MWR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM | This is a proficiency-based course which builds on the lessons from Intermediate Arabic. Emphasis continues to be on all four language skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, & Writing. The readings for the class are chosen from actual texts from both medieval and modern Arabic in a variety of fields and subjects. Students will be expected to give classroom presentations and to write short essays in Arabic. Evaluation will be both Achievement- and proficiency- based. | ARAB6500401 | ||||||
| ARAB 6100-401 | Elementary Arabic I | Radwa El Barouni | MW 10:15 AM-11:14 AM TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM |
This is the beginners course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It will introduce you to the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab World. The course is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that by the end of this course, students will range in proficiency from Novice High to Intermediate Low on the ACTFL scale; in other words (using the terminology of the government's Foreign Service Institute), from 'incipient survival' to 'full' survival' in the native-speaking environment. | ARAB0100401 | ||||||
| ARAB 6100-402 | Elementary Arabic I | Amel Mili | MW 12:00 PM-12:59 PM TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM |
This is the beginners course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). It will introduce you to the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in the standard means of communication in the Arab World. The course is proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. Evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, dictations, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that by the end of this course, students will range in proficiency from Novice High to Intermediate Low on the ACTFL scale; in other words (using the terminology of the government's Foreign Service Institute), from 'incipient survival' to 'full' survival' in the native-speaking environment. | ARAB0100402 | ||||||
| ARAB 6200-401 | Elementary Arabic II | Abdulrahman Atta | MW 3:30 PM-4:29 PM TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM |
This course is a continuation of ARAB 0100/ARAB 6100. For the second semester: completion of the first semester or permission of the instructor. | ARAB0200401 | ||||||
| ARAB 6300-401 | Intermediate Arabic III | Abdulrahman Atta | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM MW 10:15 AM-11:14 AM |
This is the continuation of the Elementary course at the graduate level. This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. This is the continuation of ARAB 0100 and ARAB 0200, the elementary course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. As in ARAB 0100 - ARAB 0200, evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that students range from Intermediate Low to Intermediate High according to the ACTFL scale. | ARAB0300401 | ||||||
| ARAB 6300-402 | Intermediate Arabic III | Abdulrahman Atta | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM MW 12:00 PM-12:59 PM |
This is the continuation of the Elementary course at the graduate level. This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. This is the continuation of ARAB 0100 and ARAB 0200, the elementary course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This course is also proficiency-based, implying that all activities within the course are aimed at placing you, the learner, in the context of the native-speaking environment from the very beginning. As in ARAB 0100 - ARAB 0200, evaluation is done by the more traditional testing methods (vocabulary tests, grammar and translation exercises). We anticipate that students range from Intermediate Low to Intermediate High according to the ACTFL scale. | ARAB0300402 | ||||||
| ARAB 6500-401 | Advanced Intermediate Arabic I | Radwa El Barouni | MWR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM | This is a proficiency-based course which continues from the first intermediate course, ARAB 0300/ARAB 0400. Emphasis continues to be on all four language skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, & Writing. The readings for the class are chosen from actual texts from both medieval and modern Arabic in a variety of fields and subjects. Students will be expected to give classroom presentations and to write short essays in Arabic. Evaluation will be both Achievement- and proficiency- based. | ARAB0500401 | ||||||
| ARAB 7000-301 | Topics in Islamic Studies | Joseph E. Lowry | M 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | Topics vary from year to year in accordance with the interests and needs of students. Although this course typically focuses on premodern Arabic texts, the readings reinforce MSA reading skills. | |||||||
| HEBR 0100-401 | Elementary Modern Hebrew I | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM | An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew. This course assumes no previous knowledge of Hebrew. A grade of B- or higher is needed to continue in the language. | HEBR5100401, JWST0100401 | ||||||
| HEBR 0100-402 | Elementary Modern Hebrew I | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 3:30 PM-4:29 PM | An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew. This course assumes no previous knowledge of Hebrew. A grade of B- or higher is needed to continue in the language. | HEBR5100402, JWST0100402 | ||||||
| HEBR 0200-401 | Elementary Modern Hebrew II | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 1:45 PM-2:44 PM | A continuation of first semester Elementary Modern Hebrew, which assumes basic skills of reading and speaking and the use of the present tense. Open to all students who have completed one semester of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR5200401, JWST0200401 | ||||||
| HEBR 0300-401 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew III | Joseph L Benatov | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM W 12:00 PM-12:59 PM |
Development of the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew on an intermediate level. Open to all students who have completed two semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR5300401, JWST0300401 | ||||||
| HEBR 0300-402 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew III | Joseph L Benatov | W 3:30 PM-4:29 PM TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM |
Development of the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew on an intermediate level. Open to all students who have completed two semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR5300402, JWST0300402 | ||||||
| HEBR 0400-401 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV | Joseph L Benatov | W 1:45 PM-2:44 PM TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM |
This course constitutes the final semester of Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Hence, one of the main goals of the course is to prepare the students for the proficiency exam in Hebrew. Emphasis will be placed on grammar skills and ability to read literary texts. Open to all students who have completed three semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR5400401, JWST0400401 | ||||||
| HEBR 5100-401 | Elementary Modern Hebrew I | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 12:00 PM-12:59 PM | An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew. This course assumes no previous knowledge of Hebrew. A grade of B- or higher is needed to proceed to the next level. | HEBR0100401, JWST0100401 | ||||||
| HEBR 5100-402 | Elementary Modern Hebrew I | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 3:30 PM-4:29 PM | An introduction to the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew. This course assumes no previous knowledge of Hebrew. A grade of B- or higher is needed to proceed to the next level. | HEBR0100402, JWST0100402 | ||||||
| HEBR 5200-401 | Elementary Modern Hebrew II | Ibrahim Miari | MTWR 1:45 PM-2:44 PM | A continuation of Elementary Modern Hebrew I, which assumes basic skills of reading and speaking and the use of the present tense. Open to all students who have completed one semester of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR0200401, JWST0200401 | ||||||
| HEBR 5300-401 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew III | Joseph L Benatov | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM W 12:00 PM-12:59 PM |
Development of the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew on an intermediate level. Open to all students who have completed two semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR0300401, JWST0300401 | ||||||
| HEBR 5300-402 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew III | Joseph L Benatov | W 3:30 PM-4:29 PM TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM |
Development of the skills of reading, writing, and conversing in modern Hebrew on an intermediate level. Open to all students who have completed two semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR0300402, JWST0300402 | ||||||
| HEBR 5400-401 | Intermediate Modern Hebrew IV | Joseph L Benatov | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM W 1:45 PM-2:44 PM |
This course constitutes the final semester of Intermediate Modern Hebrew. Hence, one of the main goals of the course is to prepare the students for the proficiency exam in Hebrew. Emphasis will be placed on grammar skills and ability to read literary texts. Open to all students who have completed three semesters of Hebrew at Penn with a grade of B- or above and new students with equivalent competency. | HEBR0400401, JWST0400401 | ||||||
| MELC 0001-401 | Introduction to the Ancient Middle East | Emily L Hammer | MW 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | The great pyramids and mysterious mummies of Egypt, the fabled Tower of Babel, and the laws of the Babylonian king Hammurabi are some of the things that might come to mind when you think of the ancient Middle East. Yet these are only a very few of the many fascinating -- and at time perplexing -- aspects of the civilizations that flourished there c. 3300-300 BCE. This is where writing first developed, where people thought that the gods wrote down what would happen in the future on the lungs and livers of sacrificed sheep, and where people knew how to determine the length of hypotenuse a thousand years before the Greek Pythagoras was born. During this course, we will learn more about these other matters and discover their place in the cultures and civilizations of that area. This is an interdisciplinary survey of the history, society and culture of the ancient Middle East, in particular Egypt and Mesopotamia, utilizing extensive readings from ancient texts in translation (including the Epic of Gilgamesh, "one of the great masterpieces of world literature"), but also making use of archaeological and art historical materials. The goal of the course is to gain an appreciation of the various societies of the time, to understand some of their great achievements, to become acquainted with some of the fascinating individuals of the time (such as Hatshepsut, "the women pharaoh," and Akhenaten, "the heretic king"), and to appreciate the rich heritage that they have left us. | ANCH0100401, HIST0730401 | Cross Cultural Analysis History & Tradition Sector |
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| MELC 0003-401 | Origin and Culture of Cities | Richard L Zettler | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The UN estimates that 2.9 of the world's 6.1 billion people live in cities and that this percentage is rapidly increasing in many parts of the world. This course examines urban life and urban problems by providing anthropological perspectives on this distinctive form of human association and land use. First we will examine the "origin" of cities, focusing on several of the places where cities first developed, including Mesopotamia and the Valley of Mexico. We will then investigate the internal structure of non-industrial cities by looking at case studies from around the world and from connections between the cities of the past and the city in which we live and work today. | ANTH0103401, URBS0003401 | History & Tradition Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 0100-401 | Archaeology & The Bible | Timothy Hogue Vanessa Workman |
TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | In this introductory course, students will learn how archaeology illuminates the material and social world behind the texts of the Hebrew Bible and contributes to debates about the history and culture of these societies. We will study the sites, artifacts, and art of the lands of Israel, Judah, Phoenicia, Philistia, Ammon, Moab, and Edom during the period framing the rise and fall of these kingdoms, ca. 1200 to 330 BCE. We will see how biblical archaeology arose in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, how the complex relationship between archaeology and the biblical text has evolved to the present day, and how new discoveries continue to challenge preconceptions about this period. We will learn a broad range of methods in both current archaeology and biblical studies and how they can be used to answer questions about ancient societies, their practices and beliefs, and the material and textual remains they left behind. | ANTH0111401, JWST0111401 | Cross Cultural Analysis | |||||
| MELC 0300-401 | Introduction to the Bible | Timothy Hogue | MW 12:00 PM-1:29 PM | An introduction to the major themes and ideas of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), with attention to the contributions of archaeology and modern Biblical scholarship, including Biblical criticism and the response to it in Judaism and Christianity. All readings are in English. | JWST0303401, RELS0301401 | Cross Cultural Analysis Humanties & Social Science Sector |
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| MELC 0301-401 | Elementary Biblical Hebrew I | Joshua A. Jeffers | MW 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | This course is an introduction to Biblical Hebrew. It assumes no prior knowledge, but students who can begin to acquire a reading knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet before class starts will find it extremely helpful. The course is the 1st of a 4-semester sequence whose purpose is to prepare students to take courses in Bible that demand a familiarity with the original language of the text. | JWST0170401, MELC5211401 | ||||||
| MELC 0305-401 | Great Books of Judaism: Jews Write their History | Talya Fishman | R 3:30 PM-6:29 PM | Since the early medieval period, Jews have been known as "the People of the Book". Yet the books they produced and consumed changed drastically over time and place, spanning a variety of known genres and inventing new ones. These works, in turn, shaped the texts, ideas, and lives of Jews and others for millennia, spawned vast commentary traditions, and inspired new works. This course engages prominent Jewish texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, Rabbinic Literature, the works of major medieval philosophers, pre-modern intellectuals, and modern authors, situating them in their literary, cultural, and social contexts, and examining their later reception. | JWST0305401, RELS0305401 | Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector |
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| MELC 0320-401 | Modern Hebrew Literature & Film in Translation: Autobiography, Case Studies: Hoffman & Oz | Nili R Gold | T 12:00 PM-2:59 PM | This course is designed to introduce students to the rich art of Modern Hebrew and Israeli literature and film. Poetry, short stories, and novel excerpts are taught in translation. The course studies Israeli cinema alongside literature, examining the various facets of this culture that is made of national aspirations and individual passions. The class is meant for all: no previous knowledge of history or the language is required. The topic changes each time the course is offered. Topics include: giants of Israeli literature; the image of the city; childhood; the marginalized voices of Israel; the Holocaust from an Israeli perspective; and fantasy, dreams & madness. | CIMS0320401, COML0320401, JWST0320401 | Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector |
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| MELC 0325-401 | Jewish Mysticism | Talya Fishman | MR 10:15 AM-11:59 AM | Survey of expressions of Jewish mysticism from Hebrew Scripture through the 21st century. Topics include rabbinic concerns about mystical speculation, the ascent through the celestial chambers -heikhalot-, the Book of Creation, the relationship of Jewish philosophy and mysticism, techniques of letter permutation, schematization of the Divine Body, the prominence of gender and sexuality in kabalistic thought, the relationship of kabbalah to the practice of the commandments, Zohar, Lurianic kabbalah, Hasidism, New-Age Jewish spirituality and the resurgence of Jewish mysticism in the 20th century. All readings will be in English translation. | JWST0325401, RELS0325401 | Arts & Letters Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 0365-401 | How to Read the Bible | Steven Phillip Weitzman | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The aim of this course is to explore what the Bible means, and why it means such different things to different people. Why do people find different kinds of meaning in the Bible. Who is right in the struggle over its meaning, and how does one go about deciphering that meaning in the first place? Focusing on the book of Genesis, this seminar seeks to help students answer these questions by introducing some of the many ways in which the Bible has been read over the ages. exploring its meaning as understood by ancient Jews and Christians, modern secular scholars, contemporary fiction writers, feminist activists, philosophers and other kinds of interpreter. | JWST1130401, RELS1130401 | Arts & Letters Sector | |||||
| MELC 0375-401 | Women in Jewish Literature | Kathryn Hellerstein | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | "Jewish woman, who knows your life? In darkness you have come, in darkness do you go." J. L. Gordon (1890). This course will bring into the light the long tradition of women as readers, writers, and subjects in Jewish literature. All texts will be in translation from Yiddish and Hebrew, or in English. Through a variety of genres -- devotional literature, memoir, fiction, and poetry -- we will study women's roles and selves, the relations of women and men, and the interaction between Jewish texts and women's lives. The legacy of women in Yiddish devotional literature will serve as background for our reading of modern Jewish fiction and poetry from the past century. The course is divided into five segments. The first presents a case study of the Matriarchs Rachel and Leah, as they are portrayed in the Hebrew Bible, in rabbinic commentary, in pre-modern prayers, and in modern poems. We then examine a modern novel that recasts the story of Dinah, Leah's daughter. Next we turn to the seventeenth century Glikl of Hamel, the first Jewish woman memoirist. The third segment focuses on devotional literature for and by women. In the fourth segment, we read modern women poets in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English. The course concludes with a fifth segment on fiction written by women in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English. | GRMN1100401, GSWS1100401, JWST1100401 | Arts & Letters Sector | |||||
| MELC 0450-401 | Warriors, Concubines & Converts: the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East & Europe | Oscar Aguirre Mandujano | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | For almost six hundred years, the Ottomans ruled most of the Balkans and the Middle East. From their bases in Anatolia, Ottoman armies advanced into the Balkans, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq, constantly challenging the borders of neighboring European and Islamicate empires. By the end of the seventeenth century, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Cairo, Baghdad, Sarajevo, Budapest, and nearly Vienna came under Ottoman rule. As the empire expanded into Europe and the Middle East, the balance of imperial power shifted from warriors to converts, concubines, and intellectuals. This course examines the expansion of the Ottoman sultanate from a local principality into a sprawling empire with a sophisticated bureaucracy; it also investigates the social, cultural, and intellectual developments that accompanied the long arc of the empire's rise and fall. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify and discuss major currents of change in the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East. The student will have a better understanding of the roles of power, ideology, diplomacy, and gender in the construction of empire and a refined appreciation for diverse techniques of historical analysis. | HIST0310401 | History & Tradition Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 0615-401 | Modern Arabic Literature | Huda Fakhreddine | CANCELED | This course is a study of modern Arabic literary forms in the context of the major political and social changes which shaped Arab history in the first half of the twentieth century. The aim of the course is to introduce students to key samples of modern Arabic literature which trace major social and political developments in Arab society. Each time the class will be offered with a focus on one of the literary genres which emerged or flourished in the twentieth century: the free verse poem, the prose-poem, drama, the novel, and the short story. We will study each of these emergent genres against the socio-political backdrop which informed it. All readings will be in English translations. The class will also draw attention to the politics of translation as a reading and representational lens. | COML0615401, MELC6505401 | Arts & Letters Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 0640-301 | Soft Power, Nation Branding, and Business Culture in the Middle East | Heather Sharkey | T 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | This seminar considers what happens when states and businesses converge to exert cultural influence that translates into political and economic leverage for host countries. Taking a historical perspective, we will focus on the past seventy-five years (circa 1950 to the present). Our point of departure is political scientist Joseph Nye’s concept of “soft power,” which refers to the ability of states to secure interests on the world stage by deploying cultural appeal rather than military force – inducement instead of coercion. We will begin by examining theories of imperialism, nationalism, and branding in a comparative international context. We will then ask questions such as: When do national and corporate policies align and reinforce each other to produce “nation branding”? How consciously or assiduously do companies act in the interests of home countries and governments? What happens when companies are “multinational” or when national and corporate interests diverge? What about other, more local forms of place branding, such as in cities? We will then turn to case studies. These consider Middle Eastern business ventures that involve consumer products, museums, private educational institutions, airlines, shopping malls, and sports franchises, and that connect many countries, including the United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Turkey, Israel, and more. They include McDonalds, Starbucks, Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi; Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines; Ferrari World amusement park; the Newcastle United and Manchester City soccer teams; and the 2020 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. To cap off the semester, students will develop an individual research paper that focuses on one business venture which reflects the interplay of soft power and nation branding. |
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| MELC 0650-401 | History of the Middle East Since 1800 | Eve M. Troutt Powell | TR 8:30 AM-9:59 AM | A survey of the modern Middle East with special emphasis on the experiences of ordinary men and women as articulated in biographies, novels, and regional case studies. Issues covered include the collapse of empires and the rise of a new state system following WWI, and the roots and consequences of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Iranian revolution and the U.S.-Iraq War. Themes include: the colonial encounter with Europe and the emergence of nationalist movements, the relationship between state and society, economic development and international relations, and religion and cultural identity. | HIST0360401 | History & Tradition Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 1001-301 | The Arabian Nights | Paul M. Cobb | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The Arabian Nights (more accurately known as The Thousand and One Nights) is a collection of stories that circulated in the medieval Islamic world and would later become a canonical classic of world literature thanks to various stages of addition, translation, and creative retelling. It is a heady agglomeration of tales written with a distinctive frame story and form about characters and deeds that have been considered in turn memorable, hilarious, disgusting, arousing, thrilling, repugnant, and inspirational by various audiences since its beginning—and possibly even before it ever existed. In this course, we will read almost the entirety of the 14th century collection of tales that constitute the earliest existing version of The Thousand and One Nights and analyze it both in relation to the medieval genres and historical contexts that shaped it and through contemporary theoretical frameworks. The Thousand and One Nights is a fluid and changing collection, so it is not our goal to focus on some clearly-defined “original”. We will instead discuss this collections’ origins, famous later additions such as the stories of Aladdin and Sindbad, and the role that its reception and translation in Europe played in making it a key text of world literature. We will also study some of its many later adaptations in film, poetry, and narrative. By analyzing key components of the text such as the frame story, fantasy, romance, and representations of race and gender, and by considering the aesthetics and politics of literary engagement with The Thousand and One Nights in modern contexts, we will come to appreciate the stories’ many travels across time and genres and develop our own ideas on what The Thousand and One Nights can teach us about the enduring power of storytelling. This course is taught in English, including all readings. |
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| MELC 1310-401 | Introduction to Modern Hebrew Literature: Short Story Reinvented | Nili R Gold | T 3:30 PM-6:29 PM | The objective of this course is to develop an artistic appreciation for literature through in-depth class discussions and text analysis. Readings are comprised of Israeli poetry and short stories. Students examine how literary language expresses psychological and cultural realms. The course covers topics such as: the short story reinvented, literature and identity, and others. This course is conducted in Hebrew and all readings are in Hebrew. Grading is based primarily on participation and students' literary understanding. | COML1311401, JWST1310401, MELC5400401 | Arts & Letters Sector Cross Cultural Analysis |
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| MELC 1340-401 | Global Sephardi Culture | Marina Mayorski | MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | The course surveys major trends in global Sephardi cultures. We will begin by exploring the origins of Sephardi culture, and especially the significance of exile within it, through medieval Hebrew poetry from the “Golden Age” of Jewish culture in Spain (8th-15th centuries) and subsequent responses to the expulsion of Jews in 1492. We will follow those exiles to new homes in the Ottoman Empire, from the period of early settlement in the 16th century to 19th- and 20th-century Ladino literature, which thrived in locations far afield from its Spanish roots, printed and disseminated in Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Austria, and the United States. We conclude with narratives of migration in the second half of the 20th century and contemporary Sephardi cinema, literature, and music from America, Turkey, and Israel, focusing on the impact of the Holocaust and the mass emigration of Jews from former Ottoman lands. Students will become acquainted with Sephardi history through literary texts translated from Ladino, Hebrew, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. These primary sources will be complemented by relevant scholarship in Jewish studies and European, Middle Eastern, and American history. We will study prominent writers such as Elias Canetti and Emma Lazarus alongside lesser-known writers such as Moses Almosnino, Grace Aguilar, Elia Carmona, Vitalis Danon, and Clarisse Nicoïdski. |
COML1345401, JWST1345401 | ||||||
| MELC 2510-001 | Introduction to Islamic Law | Joseph E. Lowry | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | This course will introduce students to classical Islamic law, the all-embracing sacred law of Islam. Among the world's various legal systems, Islamic law may be the most widely misunderstood and even misrepresented; certainly, misconceptions about it abound. Islamic law is, however, the amazing product of a rich, fascinating and diverse cultural and intellectual tradition. Most of the readings in this course will be taken from primary sources in translation. Areas covered will include criminal law, family law, law in the Quran, gender and sexuality, the modern application of Islamic law, Islamic government and other selected topics. | |||||||
| MELC 2905-401 | Ruins and Reconstruction | Lynn M. Meskell | W 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | This class examines our enduring fascination with ruins coupled with our commitments to reconstruction from theoretical, ethical, socio-political and practical perspectives. This includes analyzing international conventions and principles, to the work of heritage agencies and NGOs, to the implications for specific local communities and development trajectories. We will explore global case studies featuring archaeological and monumental sites with an attention to context and communities, as well as the construction of expertise and implications of international intervention. Issues of conservation from the material to the digital will also be examined. Throughout the course we will be asking what a future in ruins holds for a variety of fields and disciplines, as well as those who have most to win or lose in the preservation of the past. | ANTH2805401, ANTH5805401, CLST7317401, HSPV5850401, MELC5950401 | ||||||
| MELC 2960-401 | Material World in Archaeological Science | Marie-Claude Boileau Deborah I Olszewski Vanessa Workman |
TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | By focusing on the scientific analysis of inorganic archaeological materials, this course will explore processes of creation in the past. Class will take place in the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM) and will be team taught in three modules: analysis of lithics, analysis of ceramics and analysis of metals. Each module will combine laboratory and classroom exercises to give students hands-on experience with archaeological materials. We will examine how the transformation of materials into objects provides key information about past human behaviors and the socio-economic contexts of production, distribution, exchange and use. Discussion topics will include invention and adoption of new technologies, change and innovation, use of fire, and craft specialization. | ANTH2221401, ANTH5221401, ARTH0221401, CLST3302401, MELC6920401 | ||||||
| MELC 3950-401 | Intro to Digital Archaeology | Jason Herrmann | MW 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Students in this course will be exposed to the broad spectrum of digital approaches in archaeology with an emphasis on fieldwork, through a survey of current literature and applied learning opportunities that focus on African American mortuary landscapes of greater Philadelphia. As an Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) course, we will work with stakeholders from cemetery companies, historic preservation advocacy groups, and members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to collect data from three field sites. We will then use these data to reconstruct the original plans, untangle site taphonomy, and assess our results for each site. Our results will be examined within the broader constellation of threatened and lost African American burial grounds and our interpretations will be shared with community stakeholders using digital storytelling techniques. This course can count toward the minor in Digital Humanities, minor in Archaeological Science and the Graduate Certificate in Archaeological Science. | AAMW5620401, ANTH3307401, ANTH5220401, CLST3307401, CLST5620401 | ||||||
| MELC 4110-401 | The Archaeology of Nubia | Josef W Wegner | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | The course will examine the archaeology of Ancient Nubia from Pre-history through the Bronze and Iron Ages, ca. 5000 BCE to 300 AD. The course will focus on the various Nubian cultures of the Middle Nile, and social and cultural development, along with a detailed examination of the major archaeological sites and central issues of Nubian archaeology. | MELC6108401 | Cross Cultural Analysis | |||||
| MELC 5100-301 | Seminar on Egyptian Archaeology and History | Josef W Wegner | W 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | Specific topics will vary from year to year. | |||||||
| MELC 5211-401 | Elementary Biblical Hebrew I | Joshua A. Jeffers | MW 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | This course is an introduction to Biblical Hebrew. It assumes no prior knowledge, but students who can begin to acquire a reading knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet before class starts will find it extremely helpful. The course is the 1st of a 4-semester sequence whose purpose is to prepare students to take courses in Bible that demand a familiarity with the original language of the text. | JWST0170401, MELC0301401 | ||||||
| MELC 5400-401 | Introduction to Modern Hebrew Literature | Nili R Gold | T 3:30 PM-6:29 PM | The objective of this course is to develop an artistic appreciation for literature through in-depth class discussions and text analysis. Readings are comprised of Israeli poetry and short stories. Students examine how literary language expresses psychological and cultural realms. The course covers topics such as: the short story reinvented, literature and identity, and others. Because the content of this course changes from year to year, students may take it for credit more than once. This course is conducted in Hebrew and all readings are in Hebrew.Grading is based primarily on participation and students' literary understanding. | COML1311401, JWST1310401, MELC1310401 | ||||||
| MELC 5950-401 | Ruins and Reconstruction | Lynn M. Meskell | W 1:45 PM-4:44 PM | This class examines our enduring fascination with ruins coupled with our commitments to reconstruction from theoretical, ethical, socio-political and practical perspectives. This includes analyzing international conventions and principles, to the work of heritage agencies and NGOs, to the implications for specific local communities and development trajectories. We will explore global case studies featuring archaeological and monumental sites with an attention to context and communities, as well as the construction of expertise and implications of international intervention. Issues of conservation from the material to the digital will also be examined. Throughout the course we will be asking what a future in ruins holds for a variety of fields and disciplines, as well as those who have most to win or lose in the preservation of the past. | ANTH2805401, ANTH5805401, CLST7317401, HSPV5850401, MELC2905401 | ||||||
| MELC 6108-401 | The Archaeology of Nubia | Josef W Wegner | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | The course will examine the archaeology of Ancient Nubia from Pre-history through the Bronze and Iron Ages, ca. 5000 BCE to 300 AD. The course will focus on the various Nubian cultures of the Middle Nile, and social and cultural development, along with a detailed examination of the major archaeological sites and central issues of Nubian archaeology. | MELC4110401 | ||||||
| MELC 6500-301 | Seminar in Selected Topics in Arabic Literature | Huda Fakhreddine | CANCELED | This is the graduate seminar course in which a variety of aspects of Arabic literature studies are covered at the advanced graduate level. Students in this course are expected to be able to read large amounts of literature in Arabic on a weekly basis and to be able to discuss them critically during the class itself. Topics are chosen to reflect student interest. Recent topics have included: 1001 NIGHTS; the short story; the novel; MAQAMAT; classical ADAB prose; the drama; the novella; modern Arabic poetry. | |||||||
| MELC 6505-401 | Modern Arabic Literature | Huda Fakhreddine | CANCELED | This course is a study of modern Arabic literary forms in the context of the major political and social changes which shaped Arab history in the first half of the twentieth century. The aim of the course is to introduce students to key samples of modern Arabic literature which trace major social and political developments in Arab society. Each time the class will be offered with a focus on one of the literary genres which emerged or flourished in the twentieth century: the free verse poem, the prose-poem, drama, the novel, and the short story. We will study each of these emergent genres against the socio-political backdrop which informed it. All readings will be in English translations. The class will also draw attention to the politics of translation as a reading and representational lens. | COML0615401, MELC0615401 | ||||||
| MELC 6920-401 | Material World in Archaeological Science | Marie-Claude Boileau Deborah I Olszewski Vanessa Workman |
TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | By focusing on the scientific analysis of inorganic archaeological materials, this course will explore processes of creation in the past. Class will take place in the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM) and will be team taught in three modules: analysis of lithics, analysis of ceramics and analysis of metals. Each module will combine laboratory and classroom exercises to give students hands-on experience with archaeological materials. We will examine how the transformation of materials into objects provides key information about past human behaviors and the socio-economic contexts of production, distribution, exchange and use. Discussion topics will include invention and adoption of new technologies, change and innovation, use of fire, and craft specialization. | ANTH2221401, ANTH5221401, ARTH0221401, CLST3302401, MELC2960401 | ||||||
| MELC 6930-401 | Archaeobotany Seminar | Chantel E. White | F 8:30 AM-11:29 AM | In this course we will approach the relationship between plants and people from archaeological and anthropological perspectives in order to investigate diverse plant consumption, use, and management strategies. Topics will include: archaeological formation processes, archaeobotanical sampling and recovery, lab sorting and identification, quantification methods, and archaeobotany as a means of preserving cultural heritage. Students will learn both field procedures and laboratory methods of archaeobotany through a series of hands-on activities and lab-based experiments. The final research project will involve an original in-depth analysis and interpretation of archaeobotanical specimens. By the end of the course, students will feel comfortable reading and evaluating archaeobotanical literature and will have a solid understanding of how archaeobotanists interpret human activities of the past. | AAMW5390401, ANTH5230401, CLST7313401 | ||||||
| PERS 0100-401 | Elementary Persian I | Mahyar Entezari | W 12:00 PM-12:59 PM TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM |
This course is designed to help you start learning Persian (also known as Farsi or Dari) and to give you the necessary tools to continue your study of Persian. This course introduces the Persian alphabet alongside grammar and vocabulary. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication. The four language skills (i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing) as well as pronunciation and culture are integrated into the curriculum. There is no prerequisite. | PERS5100401 | ||||||
| PERS 0300-401 | Intermediate Persian I | Mahyar Entezari | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | This course is conducted in Persian (also known as Farsi or Dari) and designed to help you continue expanding upon what you have learned in Elementary Persian II. In this course, we will begin to address a broader variety of cultural topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore use of English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Students must either have successfully completed Elementary Persian II or take the departmental placement exam. | PERS5300401 | ||||||
| PERS 0390-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian (also known as Farsi or Dari) and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. | PERS5101680 | ||||||
| PERS 2000-401 | Advanced Persian I | Fatemeh Shams Esmaeili | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | This course is for undergraduate and graduate students who have successfully completed Intermediate Persian II or taken the placement exam. It teaches students the monāzereh (debate) skills in Persian academic settings by focusing on short press commentaries and literary excerpts. Students will improve their translation skills by working on primary modern Persian poetry and short stories as well as original press excerpts of the most well-known newspapers and magazines of modern Iran. The course is designed to improve students' skills in comprehending, reading, and translating formal, written Persian. | PERS6200401 | ||||||
| PERS 5100-401 | Elementary Persian I | Mahyar Entezari | W 12:00 PM-12:59 PM TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM |
This course is designed to help you start learning Persian and to give you the necessary tools to continue your study of Persian. This course introduces the Persian alphabet alongside grammar and vocabulary. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication. The four language skills (i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing) as well as pronunciation and culture are integrated into the curriculum. There is no prerequisite. | PERS0100401 | ||||||
| PERS 5101-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. Placement test or instructor permission required. | PERS0390680 | ||||||
| PERS 5300-401 | Intermediate Persian I | Mahyar Entezari | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | This course is conducted in Persian and designed to help you continue expanding upon what you have learned in Elementary Persian II (PERS-012). In this course, we will begin to address a broader variety of cultural topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore use of English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Students must either have successfully completed Elementary Persian II at the graduate level, or take the departmental placement exam. | PERS0300401 | ||||||
| PERS 6200-401 | Advanced Persian I | Fatemeh Shams Esmaeili | TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | A continuation of Intermediate Persian II, students will advance their skills in reading and listening, as well as in writing and speaking. Graduate students may have additional assignments. | PERS2000401 | ||||||
| TURK 0100-401 | Elementary Turkish I | Feride Hatiboglu | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM | This is a course for beginners who have no previous knowledge of Turkish. Using a communicative approach, Elementary Turkish introduces basic vocabulary and grammar rules and focuses on building language competencies in listening, reading, speaking and writing. By the end of the course, students will be able to participate in simple conversations, to know daily expressions, and will understand simple dialogues in day-to-day context and will be able to count and tell time. Will be able to speak about events that happened in the past and express plans for the future. Students will also develop writing strategies that will allow them to write simple letters and fill in commonly-used forms. | TURK5100401 | ||||||
| TURK 0300-401 | Intermediate Turkish I | Feride Hatiboglu | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | A continuation of elementary Turkish, with emphasis on grammar and reading. This course is for students who have previous knowledge of Turkish or students who have completed Elementary Turkish I and II. This course is designed to improve students' writing and speaking competence, to increase vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage and to help develop effective reading and listening strategies in Turkish. Students' Turkish language proficiency and cultural awareness and knowledge will increase by exposing to autentic materials and coursework. and in order give them cultural knowledge, students are exposed to authentic materials. | TURK5300401 | ||||||
| TURK 4200-680 | Advanced Turkish Culture & Media I | Elif Mollamehmetoglu | T 5:15 PM-7:14 PM | This course is for students who are from all different levels of Turkish knowledge. They are expected to write and talk about Turkish movies, culture, politics according to their own level and pace. They will talk to Turkish visitors and interview them. Turkish movies will be the part of the course and once a month, students will watch a Turkish movie and analyze it. Discussions will take place and students will write essays about the movie. This course is designed with a technology-rich, project based approach. The materials will go beyond instruction in grammar and vocabulary to support the acquisition of socio-cultural pragmatics, and intercultural learning. | TURK5800680 | ||||||
| TURK 5100-401 | Elementary Turkish I | Feride Hatiboglu | TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM | This is a course for graduate students who have no previous knowledge of Turkish. Using a communicative approach, Elementary Turkish introduces basic vocabulary and grammar rules and focuses on building language competencies in listening, reading, speaking and writing. By the end of the course, students will be able to participate in simple conversations, to know daily expressions, and will understand simple dialogues in day-to-day context and will be able to count and tell time. Will be able to speak about events that happened in the past and express plans for the future. Students will also develop writing strategies that will allow them to write simple letters and fill in commonly-used forms. | TURK0100401 | ||||||
| TURK 5300-401 | Intermediate Turkish I | Feride Hatiboglu | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | A continuation of elementary Turkish, with emphasis on grammar and reading. This course is for students who have previous knowledge of Turkish or students who have completed Elementary Turkish I and II. This course is designed to improve students' writing and speaking competence, to increase vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage and to help develop effective reading and listening strategies in Turkish. Students' Turkish language proficiency and cultural awareness and knowledge will increase by exposing to autentic materials and coursework. and in order give them cultural knowledge, students are exposed to authentic materials. | TURK0300401 | ||||||
| TURK 5800-680 | Advanced Turkish Culture & Media I | Elif Mollamehmetoglu | T 5:15 PM-7:14 PM | This course is for students who are from all different levels of Turkish knowledge. They are expected to write and talk about Turkish movies, culture, politics according to their own level and pace. They will talk to Turkish visitors and interview them. Turkish movies will be the part of the course and once a month, students will watch a Turkish movie and analyze it. Discussions will take place and students will write essays about the movie. This course is designed with a technology-rich, project based approach. The materials will go beyond instruction in grammar and vocabulary to support the acquisition of socio-cultural pragmatics, and intercultural learning. | TURK4200680 |